Are frogs on the brink of extinction?

[Red-Tailed_mustang]

This just makes me think. Especially this "Frogs have lost an estimated 170 species in the last 10 years alone." That is an estimated 17 species a year!!
Howstuffworks "Are frogs on the brink of extinction?"

[TammyJ]

This is really awful, but at least people who can help are aware of it, and something is being done to try to ensure the continuation of the species of frogs etc. I guess amphibians are particularly prone to disease or any environmental changes at all, probably more so than other classes of animals.

[Red-Tailed_mustang]

Yep Amphibian Ark sounds like their is hope in saving them. The only problem is not all of them are dying o some are being born malformed. FS-043-01--Malformed frogs in Minnesota: an update

[TammyJ]

Wow! Parasites, Chemicals, UV Radiation.....what a disaster.

I guess if it's parasites that's the main cause of the malformation, or even if it's one of a number of causes, then creatures that eat these frogs may become affected too....like water snakes. And so on, and so on.....????!!!!!

[Red-Tailed_mustang]

Thats the way it works. DDT almost killed of allot of bird species!! They ate the fish that where swimming in water full of the stuff. DDT made the crops grow fine but liked to make a few species extinct. Tons of people don't know how fragile ecosystems can be. When something on the bottom of the food chains goes away the wave goes all the way to the top. Basically the ripple effect. Starts st one little point and reaches out all over.

[froglegs]

People dont realize how bad amphibians have it really! I have read about this before and its very hard to take this info. in especially cause frogs are my favorite amphibian! Amongst all other things frogs endure so much from predators that get released into their enviroment and help speed up their decline like bullfrogs and when people illegally introduce fish into ponds that were never menat to be there cause then they are eating the frogs eggs laid in the ponds!!! Its so messed up really. But knowledge is the key and hopefully there will be some way to get control of this nasty fungus!! Heres another disturbing example of what I mean about introducing species that dont belong!!

Overstaying Their Welcome: Cane Toads in Australia

[TammyJ]

Oh yes, the Cane Toad thing is a terrible menace to native species in other places besides Australia too but that is where the impact is really enormous.